Discussion. Lebanon 1982 - Clearance and Reinstatement of the Devastated Refugee Camps.

Abstract

UNRWA was set up in 1950 by the UN General Assembly to look after the three quarters of a million Arabs who left Israel and moved into the neighbouring Arab states: Syria, Jordon, the West Bank, Gaza and the Lebanon. The Agency now caters for about 2 million. It does not provide or police the refugee camps but it provides the services, which are basically health and education. It operates 650 schools, eight teacher training colleges, family clinics, ration distribution centres and so on. There are 61 refugee camps within the area of operation.44. The camps are semi-permanent and have electricity, piped water supplies and some sewerage. The people no longer have tents; they have built themselves blockwork shelters.45. In 1982 the camps in south Lebanon suffered heavy damage to housing, buildings and services at the hands of invading military forces and the Agency had to do something quickly as the refugees had nowhere to live, there were no schools in operation and the Red Crescent network of clinics was no longer available. Mrs M. A. Beauclair, Rendel Palrner & TrittonIt was good that the engineers managed to improve the situation so much in so short a time, given the political conditions and the troubles of the people at the time. How did they cope with the structural repairs and how did the contractors manage to get materials to build things, apart from the huts that the refugees built for themselves? Mr R. L. Triggs, FellowThe Authors say that bills of quantities were prepared. That seems rather a grand title, considering the time they had available and the numbers of people they had available.48. At the finish, was the contractor paid a reasonable price for the work he had to do?